Yamaha is at a crossroads. The Iwata factory is turning a historic page by abandoning its inline four-cylinder engine for a V4, a technical revolution that should bring the brand back to the top of MotoGP. At the helm of this strategic shift is Massimo Bartolini, the new technical director, who spoke to Manuel Pecino on YouTube. The Italian engineer didn't shy away from any topic: current challenges, engine power, reliability, but also the future 2027 regulations and the change of tire supplier.
Bartolini admits it bluntly: " We encountered difficulties, but in my opinion, no more than those usual for any project. We are more or less in line with the roadmap we set for ourselves. We have already solved the most important problems and we move forward now. For now, we are looking to improve reliability to be able to conquer the clock. It is always a balance between reliability and performance »
The big black spot remains maximum power, where Ducati, KTM ou Aprilia hurt. The facts speak for themselves: fabio quartararo often starts well placed but is dropped in a straight line. Bartolini recognizes it: " the engine could already be more powerful, but what we are looking for is reliability. Augusto believes that we lack power, precisely maximum power. In reality, all acceleration is still done with power managed by electronics, we never reach full power »
Bartolini: " The departure of Michelin and the arrival of Pirelli worry me a lot. »
The reduction of the cylinder capacity to 850 cc, the bore limited to 75 mm and the removal of the majority of the aerodynamics will redistribute all the cards in 2027. For Yamaha , it will be a complete overhaul.
« The engine will have a similar base to the one we're using this year, but it will have to be completely redesigned. It's not a matter of changing a few parts and then using them; the general design can be maintained, but physically, all the parts will have to be remade. The engine will be narrower, at least 10 to 15 cm. In terms of power, a 15% reduction is a reasonable calculation. »
A risky prospect, but also an opportunity: everyone is starting from scratch.
The departure of Michelin and the arrival of Pirelli as a single supplier in 2027 is worrying Bartolini :
« Yes, it worries me a lot. This change is both a challenge and an opportunity to close the gap with those ahead.The fact that everyone has to rebuild their engine also forces those with good engines to get back into the game. Pirelli has guaranteed that the tires will not be like those used in Superbike, but until we have tested them, it is difficult to understand if the Superbike data is meaningful. »
Bartolini reminds on motosan that modern MotoGP is a war of thousandths:
« The gap between a very fast driver and a slower one can be four hundredths per corner. Twenty years ago, with seven tenths, you were on the podium; today, you are fifteenth. Communication between engineer and pilot is fundamental. Think about the work we do today to understand tires; twenty years ago, none of this was being done. »
Yamaha stakes its immediate future with the V4 and is already preparing its big leap towards 2027. Between fragile reliability, power deficit and regulatory challenges, Bartolini does not hide the complexity of the task. But for him, it is still the right time to strike a big blow and catch up Ducati.
